Keyboard mechanism.



J. R. ROGERS. KEYBOARD MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JAN.4, 1909 Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

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JOHN R. ROGERS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

KEYBOARD MECHANISM.

ceases.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnted Mim 22, 1910 Application filed January 4, 1909.

Serial No. 470,557.

monly known in the art as keyboard meehanisms, which are used to actua;e the escapements for releasing from their magazines or holders the matrices in chines.

It is intended more particularly for use in line-casting machines of the general or ganization represented in the Mergenthaler United States Patent No. 436,532,'eommonly known in the art under the trademark Linotype, butit is applicable to all other machines of the same general character. In these mechanisms a series of finger-keys serve to momentarily connect the parts which actuate the escapeinents or releasing devices with a continuously rotating roll common to the series, the roll serving, through the intermediate parts, to actuate the escapements and to complete their action after the release of the keys.

The object of the present invention, is to do away with a number of the parts which are commonly used in these mechanisms, and thus reduce their cost, while at the same time improving their action.

Iii-the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section through my mechanism with the parts in normal position, or in a position of rest. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in action. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which. connections are commonly made from the keyboard to the escapement.

Referring to the drawings, A represents one of a series of verticallyguided reeds designed to actuate an escapcinent or releasing device.

B represents an eccentric mounted to turn on a horizontal pivot, Z), carried by an arm, (4, extending edgewise from the reed,

"A, so that the reed and the, cam rise and fall together. This cam has its periphery concentric with the axis for about one half of its length and eccentric thereto for the remainder of its length. The cam is heavier on one side of the center than on the other,

line-casting niachines and the type in type composing ma and has a tendency to gravitate from the position shown in Fig. 1 tion shown in F ig. 2; in other words, when released it will fall by gravity from the normal position to a position in which it engages the driving roll. It is preferably made of the form shown in the drawing but. may be widely modified, provided only that it is adapted to operate in the manner hereinafter explained. The peripheral surface may be toothed as shown, or, if preferred, may be left plain.

G represents a helical spring having its upper end attached to the frame or other stationary member of the machine, and its lower end connected to pin, 7), on the side of the cam, the arrangement being such that when the reed descendsto its normal or inactive position, shown in Fig. 1, carrying with it the cam, the spring will limit the descent of the pin Z) and thus hold the cam in the position shown in Fig. 1, with its shorte st diameter on the under side.

D represents a horizontal, continuously rotating roll, extending transversely of the keyboard, beneath the entire series of cams, B, as usual in mechanisms of this class.

E represents a finger key, mounted midway of its length on a pivot, c, and acting at its rear end upon a shoulder on the reed A for the purpose of lifting the same. lVhen the forward end of the key is depressed its rear end lifts the reed A and the cam B carried thereby. During this preliminary rising movement of the cam the pin 6 remains at rest while the pivot b is lifted with relation thereto. This permits thecam to turn around the pivot 6, its longer and heavier side descending until it engages frictionally with the upper surface a of the roll The roll, turning in the direction indicated by the arrow, and en gagcd with the cam, causes the latter to turn in the direction indicated. As the can continues to rotate it is forced bodily upuuu'd and its pivot Z) lifted so that it in turn lifts the reed A, causing the latter to actuate the escapelnent. During this movement vthe spring C'is extended somewhat as shown in Fig. 2 and the pin 6 is carried with the cam beneath the pivot 72 to such a position that after the extreme outward point of the cam passes the roll D, and'when the reed A, relieved from support, descends, the spring will cause the cam to assume its toward the posi gagged hy the upper end of the reed.

it will be observed t the cam to its original position. The spring j C may be replaced by a link 0' any elastn:

connection from the pin on the cam to the 5 support on the frame or elsewhere, but. the employment of the spring is reeonnneinled as it gives to the parts an easier and smoothe action.

The essence of my invention lies in combining with the reed a cam movable there with, a stationary roll for driving the cam, and a connection by whirh the cam is held normally out of contaet with the roll.

In Fig. 3 l have shown on a small scale the parts above deecribed and also the usual eseapement, G, mounted on the under side of the usual matrix magazine, ll, and en- V The reed when carried upward moves the eseapemeat in one direction, and when the reed returns the motion of the eeeapement is re versed hythe spring I.

Having thus described my invention,

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what l claim and desire to secure by Letters-4 Patent, lRZ

1. The movable reed A and the gravitating cam carried thereby, in combination with the cam driving roll, and a spring extending from a fixed support and acting on the cam to sustain the sainemoirinally out of engagt'anent with the r 3. ln :1 t-1t3 Yl )Ot1L(l. mechanism and in coirhination. a reciprocating reed, a rotary, gravitating ram carried thereby, the cam driving roll, means for holding the eaniup ward normally out of engagement. with the roll. and a manual device aeting on the reed to initiate its. movement.

It. in a meehauism oi the class deserihed, and in combination with the. underlying roll. l). a ertiratly movable 1am and a spring tending primarily to hold the ram out ot eontaet with the roll, and secondarily to continue the rotation of the cam as the roll ennrludes its aetion thereon.

in testimony whereof l hereunto set my hand this thirtieth (la of Deeemher, 1909. in the presence of two attesting witnexsee. JOHN R. lttlttll tin. \Vitnesees Davin S. KENNEDY,

- Lucy E. SMrrI-I. 

